Garment Hanger

ABSTRACT

A garment hanger comprising a hook having a neck, first and second hanger arms, a horizontal support member, and a vertical support. The vertical support is sized to accommodate garment loops.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a clothes or garment hanger and more particularly to a unique clothes or garment hanger having a support post coincident with the hook of a hanger that is adapted to readily and conveniently support a garment in a fixed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Garment hangers typically comprise a hook portion having a neck with first and second hanger arms extending from the neck of the hook in opposite directions and angled downwardly relative to the hook. In addition, a horizontal support member is attached to the distal ends of the first and second hanger arms. The first and second hanger arms are adapted typically to receive the shoulders of a garment such as a jacket or shirt, and the horizontal support member is adapted to support a garment such as trousers.

A known garment hanger is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,392. This patent discloses vertical loop hooks 6 connected to straight section 9. A problem with the design of the garment hanger in this patent is that the vertical loop hooks 6 are not accessible once a garment (jacket or shirt) is supported by the first and second hanger arms. If a user wanted to support a pair of trousers on the vertical loop hooks 6, the user would have to remove the jacket or shirt to access the vertical loop hooks 6.

Another known garment hanger is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,620,101. This patent discloses two hooks 19. The two hooks 19 are used to engage two belt loops in the front of the trousers and two belt loops in the back of the trousers. Similar to U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,392, a user must remove a garment hanging from the supporting arms to access the hooks 19.

Accordingly, there is a need for a new and improved garment hanger which overcomes and avoids the problems with known garment hangers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other problems and deficiencies in known garment hangers are solved and a technical advantage is achieved by the present invention.

The present invention is directed to a garment hanger comprising a hook having a neck, first and second hanger arms, a horizontal support member, and a vertical support. The vertical support is sized to accommodate garment loops.

In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, the vertical support is positioned adjacent to the hook.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the vertical support is integral with the neck of the hook.

In still a further embodiment of the present invention, the vertical support extends higher than the top of the hook.

In still a further embodiment of the present invention, a garment hanger comprises a hook having a neck, first and second hanger arms, a horizontal support member, and a vertical support integrated with the neck of the hook. The vertical support is sized to accommodate garment loops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawing embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention can be embodied in different forms and thus should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an embodiment of the garment hanger;

FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of another embodiment of the garment hanger; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing garments supported by the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which representative embodiments are shown. The present subject matter can, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to describe and enable one of ordinary skill in the art. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter pertains. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

While reference herein is made to supporting garments, such as shirts, jackets, slacks, trousers, it is to be understood that the present invention has application to any garment or fabric piece.

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the present invention, a garment hanger 10. The garment hanger 10 comprises a hook 11 having a curved portion 12 and a neck 13. The hook 11 is of a sufficient size and dimension to suspend the garment hanger from a tubular closet rod or support bar (not shown). First and second hanger arms 14, 15 extend from the neck 13 of the hook 11 in opposite directions and angled downwardly relative to the hook. Preferably, the first and second hanger arms 14, 15 are equal in length and have a length sufficient to accommodate the “shoulders” of a garment. The first and second hanger arms 14, 15 may have elongated recesses 16 equally spaced along the length of each arm to accommodate shoulder straps, skirt straps and the like. A horizontal support member 17 connects the distal ends of the first and second hanger arms 14, 15. The first and second hanger arms and horizontal support member may form an aperture 18 allowing a garment to be draped over the horizontal support member.

The garment hanger 10 further comprises a vertical support 19 sized and shaped to accept a loop of clothing, such as a belt loop from a pair of trousers, or to allow a garment to be draped therefrom. The vertical support 19 may be integral with the neck 13 of the hook 11 and extends higher than the top of the hook 11. The vertical support may be located at the closed end (rear) of the hook 11, such that if a jacket or other garment is already hanging from the first and second hanger arms (FIG. 3), the vertical support 19 is accessible to drape or hook a pair of trousers, other garments, therefrom without having the remove or adjust the currently hanging garment.

The garment hanger 10 may be constructed from one element, such as wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, or recycled cardboard or from a combination of elements. The garment hanger 10 depicted in FIG. 1 is constructed from a single element, such as recycled cardboard. The thickness of the hanger is dependent on the material used to construct the hanger such that the hanger 10 is of sufficient strength to support multiple garment pieces, including a heavy winter coat.

The garment hanger 10 is depicted in FIG. 1 with planar sides. It is contemplated that the garment hanger 10 may be contoured (curved about a vertical axis) and or have contoured features.

FIG. 2 depicts another garment hanger embodiment. In this embodiment, the bottom of the hanger is curved upwards and the body of the hanger is solid, no aperture 18, as depicted in FIG. 1.

The garment hanger 20 of FIG. 2 comprises a hook 21 having a curved portion 22 and a neck 23. The hook 21 is of a sufficient size and dimension to suspend the garment hanger from a tubular closet rod or support bar (not shown). Extending from the neck 23 is a hanger body 24 having a generally isosceles triangular shape. The hanger body may be constructed as a solid member having two planar sides. Planar sides 25 and 26 generally correspond and has a similar function as the first and second hanger arms 14, 15 of the garment hanger embodiment depicted in FIG. 1. Preferably, planar sides 25, 26 are equal in length and have a length sufficient to accommodate the “shoulders” of a garment. Base 28 generally corresponds to the horizontal support member 17 of the garment hanger depicted in FIG. 1. Planar sides 25, 26 may have elongated recesses (not shown, but similar to recesses 16 of FIG. 1) equally spaced along the length of each side to accommodate shoulder straps, skirt straps and the like. The base 28 of the hanger body 24 may be curved.

The garment hanger 20 further comprises a vertical support 27 sized and shaped to accept a loop of clothing, such as a belt loop from a pair of trousers, or to allow a garment to be draped therefrom. The vertical support 27 may be integral with the neck 23 of the hook 21 and extends higher than the top of the hook 21. The vertical support may be located at the closed end (rear) of the hook 21, such that if a jacket or other garment is already hanging from the first and second hanger arms (FIG. 3), the vertical support 27 is accessible to drape or hook a pair of trousers, other garments, therefrom without having the remove or adjust the currently hanging garment.

FIG. 3 depicts a garment hanger 10 of embodiment 1 supporting a shirt on the first and second hanger arms 14, 15. As shown, a first pair of trousers 50 is draped over horizontal support member 17. For the garment hanger to support a second pair of trousers 40 without removing the shirt, a user may hang the trousers 40 by overlaying one of the trousers' belt loops 41 over the vertical support 19, as shown in FIG. 3. A user may also hang a second jacket (not shown) using the jacket loop in the collar of the jacket by overlaying the jacket loop onto the vertical support 19. Alternatively, a user may use the collar of a jacket or the waist band of a pair of slacks to hang the garment from the vertical post 19. It is contemplated that other types of garments, including accessories such as ties, belts and the like can be supported by the vertical support 19.

The vertical support 27 of the garment hanger of FIG. 2 functions in the same manner as the vertical support 19 of garment hanger 10.

It should be understood that various changes, substitutions, additions and alterations can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, and composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure herein, processes, machines, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment hanger comprising: a hook having a neck; first and second hanger arms: a horizontal support member; and a vertical support, wherein the vertical support is sized to accommodate garment loops.
 2. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein the vertical support is positioned adjacent to the hook.
 3. The garment hanger of claim 2, wherein the vertical support is integral with the neck of the hook.
 4. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein the vertical support extends higher than the top of the hook.
 5. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein the hanger is constructed from a single element i
 6. A garment hanger comprising: a hook having a neck; first and second hanger arms: a horizontal support member; and a vertical support integrated with the neck of the hook, wherein the vertical support is sized to accommodate garment loops. 